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NEW HAMPSHIRE. 





- PHILADELPHIA: 

J, B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY. 

1891. 



NEW HAMPSHIRE. 



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philadp:lphia: 

J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY. 

1891. 



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Copyright, 1891, by J. B. LirpiNCOTT Company. 







NEW HAMPSHIRE. 



Ne"w Hampshire, the * Granite State,' the most 
northerly of the thirteen original United States of 
North America, lies between 42° 40' and 45° 18' N. 
lat, and is bounded N. by the province of Quebec, E. 
by Maine and (for 18 miles) the Atlantic Ocean, S. by 
Massachusetts, and W. by the riglit bank of the Con- 
necticut River. Area, 9305 sq. m. — a fourth larger than 
Wales. The average elevation of the state is about 1 200 
feet, the general slope being towards the south. The 
highest point is Mount Washington (6293 feet), in the 
White Mountains, which include more than a hundred 
peaks of note, mainly in the northernmost county ; 
among the peaks over 5000 feet high are those bearing 
the names of the successive presidents, Adams, 
Jefferson, Madison, and Monroe. Geologically they 
consist of early metamorphic rocks ; immense masses 
of granite and gneiss constitute the bare peaks that 
make the name of the range as appropriate in summer 
as in winter. The largest lake is Winnipiseogee (72 
sq. m.); the principal rivers are the Connecticut, 
Merrimac, and Piscataqua. From Dover Point to its 
mouth the Piscataqua is about half a mile wide ; and 



. NEW HAMPSHIRE. 

the volume and swiftness of its current at ebb-tide 
prevent the freezing of the water in Portsmouth har- 
bour during the coldest winters. The Merrimac is 
said to turn more spindles and propel more shuttles 
than any other river in the world. The state is noted 
for its salubrious climate and grandly picturesque 
natural scenery. The mean annual temperature at 
Concord is 46° F. 

The principal agricultural products are hay, potatoes, 
maize, and oats. There are still over a million acres 
of forest in the state, which have an average value per 
acre of about double that of the cleared land. Agri- 
cultural interests had steadily declined for a number of 
years, but of late New Hampshire has become very 
popular as a summer-resort, and the farmers, who 
owing to the rough and sterile soil could not compete 
in the great markets with those of the West, now find 
a new and important market brought to their very 
doors. But the manufacturing is the leading industry 
in New Hampshire, the chief centres being Manches- 
ter (the largest city), Nashua, and Dover. The total 
value of property in the state is about ;^ 3 50,000,000. 

New Hampshire embraces ten counties, and returns 
two members to congress. The governor is elected 
biennially, and by him the judiciary are appointed 
until seventy years of age. The public schools are 
efficient, and the state possesses one college — Dart- 
mouth, founded at Hanover in 1769 as a school for the 
instruction of Indians ; it has well-appointed academic, 
scientific, medical, and agricultural departments, with 
libraries aggregating 67,000 volumes. There is also a 
state normal school at Plymouth. 



NEW HAMPSHIRE. ■ ^ 

History. — The earliest settlements were made in 
1623 near Dover and Portsmouth. In 1641-79, 1689- 
92, and 1699-1741 New Hampshire was joined to the 
Massachusetts colony, but during the intervening dates 
and until 1775 it was under royal governors of its own. 
The people took an active part in the revolution. A 
provisional government was formed in 1776, a state 
constitution adopted in 1784; and New Hampshire was 
the ninth state (June 21, 1788) to ratify the national 
constitution. Among the eminent men born here 
have been — besides one president, Franklin Pierce — 
Daniel Webster, Lewis Cass, Salmon P. Chase, and 
Horace Greeley. Pop. (1790) 141,899; (1840) 284,574; 
(1880) 346,991 ; (1890) 376,5 3p. 




LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



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